Stéphane Guivarc'h


Stéphane Pierre Yves Guivarc'h is a French former professional footballer who played as striker. He featured in the France squad that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup on home soil.
His early career was spent in France with the Breton clubs Stade Brestois and En Avant Guingamp before moving to AJ Auxerre, where he won Ligue 1 in 1996. He returned to Brittany with Stade Rennais with whom he won Ligue 1's Golden Boot. At a second spell at Auxerre he retained the Golden Boot in Ligue 1 and also won the Golden Boot for the 1997–98 UEFA Cup. That Summer he won the World Cup.
Guivarc'h left France for Newcastle United of the Premier League after the World Cup but left after three months having failed to make an impact at St James' Park. He finished the season at Rangers FC of the Scottish Premier League with medals in the league and Scottish League Cup, of which he scored in the final. He then returned to Auxerre before retiring after the 2001–02 season with En Avant Guingamp.
Despite goalscoring records in France and Europe to add to his World Cup medal, he was named as the Premier League's worst ever striker by the British newspaper Daily Mail, in recognition of his brief and unsuccessful spell at Newcastle United.

Career

Brest, Guingamp, Auxerre and Rennes

Born in Concarneau, Finistère, Brittany, Guivarc'h's career started at the Breton club Stade Brestois in 1989. In 1991, he moved to another club in the region, En Avant Guingamp, where his goalscoring rate was better than one every two games, prompting a move to AJ Auxerre in 1995. He played for the club as they won a double of Ligue 1 and Coupe de France in 1995–96, under manager Guy Roux, but only scored 3 goals in 23 league appearances. After a season at Auxerre, he returned to a third Breton club, Stade Rennais for a single season, where he won the Ligue 1 Golden Boot for 22 goals in 36 appearances.

Auxerre 1997–98

Guivarc'h's Golden Boot-winning season prompted a return to Auxerre only one year after leaving them. He retained the Ligue 1 Golden Boot, rewarded for 21 goals in 32 league appearances..
Guivarc'h scored seven times in the UEFA Cup in 1997–98 to earn its Golden Boot. The first goal came in the First Round's First leg against Deportivo La Coruña of Spain in a 2–1 win. The second leg was goalless. In the second round against OFI Crete of Greece, he scored twice in the home leg in a 3–1 victory and once in the second in a 3–2 defeat. In the third round's second leg against Twente Enschede of the Netherlands, he scored an 82nd-minute penalty in the 2–0 victory at home to send Auxerre through 3–0 on aggregate.
In the quarter-finals against Lazio of Italy, Auxerre lost the first leg 1–0 away. In the second leg Guivarc'h struck twice in a 2–2 draw which meant that Lazio advanced 3–2 on aggregate.

World Cup 1998

As a result of his domestic goalscoring record Guivarc'h was selected as the lone striker in the World Cup winning France team of 1998. He was given the number 9 shirt by manager Aime Jacquet. In the opening victory over South Africa Guivarc'h was substituted for Christophe Dugarry in the 29th minute. He did not play at all in the following 4–0 victory over Saudi Arabia.
In the Last 16 against Paraguay he came on in the 76th minute for his Auxerre teammate Bernard Diomede. France won 1–0 after extra-time with a golden-goal from Laurent Blanc. Guivarc'h was booked in the quarter-final against Italy and substituted in the 65th minute with Christian Karembeu for Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet. France won on penalties when the game finished 0–0 after extra-time. In the semi-final versus Croatia Guivarc'h was again substituted for Trezeguet in the 68th minute as France won 2–1.
In the final against Brazil he was substituted in the 66th minute for Christophe Dugarry as France won 3–0.

Newcastle United and Rangers

Guivarc'h was signed for Newcastle United by their manager Kenny Dalglish in the 1998 close season. He played four league games, scoring on his debut against Liverpool, then was sold to Rangers for £3.5m on 6 November 1998 by new manager Ruud Gullit.
At Rangers he won the treble under Dick Advocaat: the Scottish Premier League, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup. Two days after signing, he scored two goals away at St Johnstone in a 7–0 win. He also scored two away at Heart of Midlothian in a 3–2 win. He scored Rangers' first in the League Cup final versus St Johnstone, which they won 2–1.

Auxerre and Guingamp

After only one season at Rangers he joined Auxerre for a third spell, then for his final season as a professional returned to Guingamp once more. During his two spells at the Breton club he scored 69 goals, a club record.

Name

Guivarc'h means 'swift stallion' in the Breton language.

Personal life

Guivarc'h was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur in 1998 after the World Cup victory.
Since retirement as a player, Guivarc'h has returned to his hometown of Concarneau and become a swimming pool salesman. He is married and has three children.
In October 2009, Guivarc'h appeared at number one in a list compiled by the Daily Mail of the top 50 worst strikers ever to play in the Premier League. In response, he dubbed the paper "crap" and called their verdict a "mockery", before claiming that apart from probably inventing the game, England had not contributed to World Football since 1966.
Despite the criticism, France's World Cup-winning manager Aimé Jacquet supported Guivarc'h's performances for his ability to contribute as a pivot despite not scoring in the tournament. He remains incredulous that the striker is perceived as a flop.

International goals

Honours

Auxerre
Rangers
France
Individual
Orders